#please give the misconceptions of us the love it deserves

[beauty-and-passion]

Why you should listen to Chonny's Charming Chaos Compendium

I didn't expect to truly write a post about this album.

Anons introduced me to its genesis, production and themes and they seemed interesting... but was there enough food for thought?

I had no idea. My expectations were positive, so I imagined I would listen to something good: I just didn't know if this album had enough for me to talk about and say something new - considering that the CCCC fans already did a great job analyzing every detail of the songs.

But when I listened to them (and read more theories/explanations), I noticed some interesting things. Things that stirred my brain and made me think. Things I wanted to talk about.

So here I am, writing a post about Chonny's Charming Chaos Compendium Volume 1. I am not pretending to explain the lore or the songs in detail and I don't want to bother you with an extremely long post. All I want is to give you some material to decide if CCCC is worth a try.

And, if you've never heard about it before, I hope my words will spark your interest, because this album deserves more attention.

One last thing: please be aware I will talk about all sorts of themes, from love to suicide, because those are also the themes of the album.

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A simple plot

I can hear you, fans who have listened to the whole album: simple story?! It's complicated! It's open to interpretations!

And yes, you're right. But if we consider the core foundation on which the songs are built... well, that's quite straightforward. With this album, Chonny Jash is telling us about his struggles and how they led to a psychological split inside him into Mind, Heart and Soul. Then these three parts start fighting, until they find a way to reunite again.

And yes, we can also add that this is a time loop and things are destined to repeat themselves, but the structure is still simple, clear and concise. As clear as the tripartition of the album into Calamity, Cacophony and Concord, three parts that correspond to the story's three main points: the split, the fight, the reunion.

And this simplicity isn't a bad thing, oh absolutely not. This is perfect.

There's a common misconception that a good story should be complicated. The plot should be complex and convoluted and the more complex and convoluted it is, the better the story will be. I made this conceptual mistake too and it took me years to realize how wrong it was: the better stories are not the most complicated ones, but the simpler ones.

Why?, you may ask. Isn't a simple story proof of amateur writing - or even worse, lack of creativity?

Actually, it's quite the opposite and there are four reasons why:

If a story has a simple, clear foundation, it will be easier to build on it: a simple foundation is stable and strong, it won't break down too easily. You can add layers and metaphors and hide your plot points behind different interpretations, but your public won't get lost, because the foundation would still be clear: there are three figures, they fight, they reunite. Everyone can understand it.

If everyone can understand your foundation, your story is universal. Everyone can approach and experience it, from an old person to a child, and everyone will find something inside: a message, a feeling, a piece of advice, anything.

If your story is universal and the foundation clear, your vision is also clear. And if your vision is clear, you know what you're doing. And if you know what you're doing, your story will be much more organized too: there won't be dull/useless parts, filler, or moments in which you're just dilly-dallying, waiting for the right idea to strike.

Since your story will be more organized, the flow will be better too and the events will make sense, the public will be more prone to welcome the suspension of disbelief and immerse themselves in the story. People aren't stupid, they can subconsciously feel when an artist is confident and the story is strong. And once they feel it, you win. The public is yours now, you can guide it into your world and show your vision as you intended. And people will let you do it, because they know they're in good hands.

This is what I experienced too, the more I progressed with my listening. There was a lot of care behind every word, the lyrics kept explaining and expanding the plot and everything showed the confidence of an author who knows what he is doing and how to do it.

And there's nothing better for a story, than a confident author.

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Clear elements despite the ambiguity

Even if the foundation of CCCC is very simple, the story is enriched by a ton of ambiguities and things purposely left very vague. They may be better explained when/if Volume 2 comes out in the future, they may be left open to interpretation forever. It doesn't really matter: having a full understanding is good, but leaving everything behind a veil of mystery is a good choice as well. It depends on Mr. Jash's choice - and if my previous point wasn't clear enough, I trust this guy's choices.

However, despite the ambiguity, I also really appreciated how there are a lot of extremely clear elements in this story, starting from some events, to specific details of the main characters involved.

Some examples?

Heart tried to shoot/kill/destroy Mind

Heart's breakdown is due to something love-related

The whole series of events is stuck in a loop

Mr. Jash threatens suicide if the parts of himself don't reconcile

Mr. Jash frequently talks about how he keeps making covers of songs others made before him

And what about the details? For example, we know that every character has a specific set of elements associated with them:

an object: a blindfold (Heart), a crown (Mind), a trident (Soul)

a name: Artemis/the moon/Juno (Heart), Apollo/the sun (Mind), Atlas (Soul)

a color: black+purple (Heart), blue+white (Mind), gray+red (Soul)

And those are all elements we get from the songs and they get stuck with you, while you progress with your listening.

Again, this is a very clever choice: considering everything is open to interpretation, having some clear elements serves as "anchor points" in a sea of ambiguities. By doing that, the listeners won't get lost in a maelstrom of possibilities, but they will keep being guided down a clear path - the one traced by the main points of the album (breakdown, fight, reunion).

Also, having some fixed elements keeps everyone's attention too: some people might like to get lost in pure ambiguity, but most lose interest in a too-vague story. Even if the author had a clear plan, if everything is too obscure, people will inevitably think: "It's incomprehensible, so the author had no idea what they were doing" and ditch the story entirely.

Mr. Jash handled the ambiguity aspect very well, by balancing the obscurities with the clear elements. And this proved, once again, how clear, strong and detailed his vision is.

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Favorite character?

Ooof, that's hard.

Each character has a specific personality and that alone proves how carefully Mr. Jash planned every element related to them.

Heart is sad, desperate, apathetic, prone to self-pity, sick and tired of everything. But he's also strong enough to try and oppose Mind out of fear of what he could do. He tried to attack someone as powerful as him and take him down, just to preserve the Soul and save their vessel.

And that proves he's not weak at all: he's a lot more powerful than he seems. And, as he said, he's not a child: he felt Mind could've been a threat, so he took the matter into his own hands and tried to find a solution.

And it makes sense his solution was so drastic, because it was dictated by feelings. Because the Heart is influenced by feelings. It's perfectly coherent with the kind of character he is.

Same goes for Mind: he's cold, harsh, a threatening figure because of his design/nature. He takes control of the situation, he appoints himself as the new leader, he wants to react, do something, move forward and ignore the element he sees as the weak link.

And he definitely doesn't hold a grudge towards Heart, nope nope: my bro spent a whole song saying "Look at Heart, he's an idiot". And then, if this isn't enough, he ended his song, by calling Heart "akaryocyte": which is a cell without a nucleus. Hence, a virus.

I'll admit it: this sick burn is the sickest burn that ever burned and probably the most clever insult I've ever read and that made Mind top #1 best character of the album - sorry Heart, but Mind is too sick. (Also, I am a cold logical person too, so I ended up thinking the guy wasn't so bad after all.)

Last but not least, we have Soul. And Soul is basically shut down all the time by these two motherfuckers arguing, to the point he looks more like a shadow, rather than a real character... until he decides that you know what, time to show how confident he actually is:

You must be so arrogant to think that either of you Can control The Soul so wholly When to be one whole you can't hold solely

One song was enough to show Soul's true colors. He's stronger than the other two, he's more in control than them and he's the only one able to draw a line and make an actual threat: if they do not find a way to reunite, he will kill them both.

A couple words and Soul's picture got flipped: he's not just a background voice anymore, he's the leading figure now. And if he is sick and tired, then these three are facing the real shit.

But just like the other two, Soul isn't just that and we see it in The Bidding.

Here happens something incredibly beautiful: once Heart and Mind find a way to harmonize, Soul immediately rejoices: with the impatience of a child, he asks them to do it again, "One more time, go again/No, this can't be the end". Soul, this powerful figure who threatened suicide one second ago, begs them to try again, to do it "for me", because they can finally harmonize, because "I don't know how much more I can take".

Once again, with a couple sentences, we learn how heavy this whole situation has been on Soul and how eager he is to try again, once the other two find a possible harmony.

This doesn't just show how deeply Soul has been affected by the whole situation, but also (on a higher level) how strong hope is.

Soul was ready to commit suicide: a few verses before he said this was the day "we'll tie the rope". But one small step in the right direction, despite being flawed and made out of spite and resentment, was all he needed to change his mind and drop the idea of suicide entirely.

That also proves how human Soul is. Because this is what humans feel too, especially when they play with the idea of suicide. Most of the time, this idea is the result of desperation and inability to find a way out of a situation that seems impossible to overcome. But once these people find even a teeny tiny fragment of hope, the will to live overcomes desperation and people latch to said hope, no matter how small it is. And, just like Soul did here, they try to have it again, to repeat it, to feel that spark again.

Because the will to live is always much, much stronger than the desperation that leads to suicide.

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The choice of a time loop

These three characters are stuck in a time loop: things are destined to repeat themselves. And believe it or not, but this is extremely human too - and a clever choice as well.

From a psychological perspective, Mr. Jash can "break" again anytime. Life is full of stuff and events, so... who knows? Maybe in the future, he will face another heartbreak and his Whole will break down into three once more. Or maybe it won't be because of a heartbreak: maybe something else will happen and lead to a new split, a new fight and a new reconciliation. Maybe even the lack of confidence that starts to shine in Concord is proof of a future split.

But if we think about it, the time loop works from another perspective too: a meta one.

Every time you listen to the whole album, every time to replay the songs, you are relieving the split. Every time you listen to them, Whole splits into Heart, Mind and Soul. Every time you trace their history, they split, fight and reconcile.

In other words: every replay is a new loop, a loop in which these characters are stuck - not just because of their humanity, but because they're characters and this is their story. They cannot escape from it, because that's their entire world.

I don't know if Mr. Jash thought about that while making this album... but he gave me this thought and that's just another proof of what I said at the beginning of this post: if a story is very well made, everyone can find a message inside it. And I'm sure you will find something too.

EDIT: You will find the whole analysis of CCCC Vol. 1 starting from HERE

(How about a coffee? ☕)

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TAGLIST:

@royalprinceroman @mudpuddlenl @allmycrushesaredead @aquatedia @whatishappeningrightnow @effortiswhatmatters @bella-in-a-bag @doydoune @forever-third-wheeling @payte @hypnossanders​  @idontreallyknow24​  @imcrushedbyarainbowoffical @patton-cake​  @hereissananxiousmess​  @purplebronzeandblue​  @cynicalandsarcastic​ ​@lost-in-thought-20 @andtheyreonfire​ 

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[coco-bee]

COCO'S REVIEW: BLUE'S STORY

Welcome to Coco’s Review! Where I review and breakdown episodes, movies and etc and overthink every tiny detail and/or give my thoughts and opinions :D !! THE STORY I’M ABOUT TO DISCUSS HAS TOPICS ABOUT S/A AND OTHER DISTURBING TOPICS PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION !! Ok so this may not be something you’d expect me to cover but I wanted to discuss this series on my blog for a while now! Today I’m discussing Blue’s Story by Victaton!

Blue’s Story is a series by Victaton over on youtube that mixes gacha life 2 character designs along with animation. I like to think of the gl2 designs as character models and Victation expands on it through animation. The series doesn’t have proper episodes, its installments mainly continue music videos that go in a specific order. The story is about Blue, a man in his early 20s entering the company his older sister works in with a positive attitude only for it to fade away as a lot of women in his new job want to get in his pants and cause irreversible trauma on the poor guy. This series is meant to show how abuse in the workplace can happen and how s/a can be done anywhere and by anyone. It seems to be a response to the misconceptions of how men who are preyed on by women are not valid victims of s/a and how they should’ve enjoyed it or that only women can be victims (which is never true). Though keep in mind I’m not qualified to determine if the way the story conveys s/a and just abuse in general is shown accurately because I have not had these experiences myself but my heart goes out to the victims in the world who could resonate with Blue’s Story and I wish for nothing but happiness and peace for you guys. You all are very strong and deserved much better<3

I can tell Victation really touched people’s hearts and according to some people in the comments who are victims the story is pretty accurate to some experiences and some research has been put in this series which I heavily appreciate. So I’m happy people can feel seen with this!

So with this series I want to start off light and mention the animation- AND MY GOODNESS DOES THIS SERIES HAVE AMAZING ANIMATION!

I really love this art style that Vic has going on here

Like I said the gl2 designs seem to make the base and Vic uses their art skills to expand on it It really gives a dynamic feeling and you can hardly tell it’s gacha

Vic has a lot of dynamic poses and a great understanding of body language with these!

AND THE EXPRESSIONS<33 I LOVE THE WAY VIC DRAWS FACIAL EXPRESSIONS! IM SUCH A SUCKER FOR VERY EXAGGERATED AND STYLIZED FACES

And I’m not even showing the best parts! But I want to keep it as a surprise for those who are interested in watching the series. I just couldn’t stop praising the visuals enough! Vic is the most experimental gachatuber I’ve seen when it comes to the visuals!! I hope to talk with them sometime to get some tips or to post how their creative process works because THE ART IS SO GOOODDDDD! AND THE CHARACTER DESIGNS RADIATE SM PERSONALITY AND ADD TO THE SYMBOLISM AND UNDERTONES OF THE STORY! It’s so fun to see :D and the color associations are a very interesting character design choice! It helps add a very colorful look to what is otherwise a very heavy story and makes it very easy to distinguish the characters and give them certain color motifs. Anyway I want to talk about the characters in Blue’s Story! Mostly by order of their debut! And I’ll only talking abt the characters that have a big impact on Blue (So I won’t be talking abt Magenta or her brother) and the ones that don’t have a definite character (So the red eye people won’t be mentioned) Anyway now that that’s established the character I want to talk about first is well- Blue himself! After All this is his perspective we’re following

Also quick appreciation for the silly little Blues that Vic draws<3 Anyway Blue is the most interesting character I’ve seen in a gacha series. I like how Vic doesn’t use Blue as a representation or a role model for victims to take after but a person who goes through his own stories and has room to be human. You can see his descent in his own trauma and self loathing in his story. Which leads him to make mistakes and have a difficult time navigating his relationships and how to make meaningful connections. Seeing him go from confident and upbeat to quiet and reserved is so heartbreaking. What I find so great about Blue is that not everyone can relate to his situation but his thought process is near universal. I can relate to having to be in survival mode when it comes to relationships after being done dirty by different people. Not to mention people would do the same things Blue did, they just went through different experiences. It’s a really great touch to the writing. What’s also interesting I find about Blue are these different personas of different ways he handles the trauma caused by all these women.

This is sorta a mix of my interpretation of what these versions of Blue are plus what Vic actually calls them From left to right 1.Hypersexual Blue (confirmed) 2.Heart Eyes Blue (confirmed) 3. Reality Blue (not confirmed) 4. Cyan Blue (confirmed) 5. Numb Blue (not confirmed) I’ll expand more on these personas when I do a character study on Blue (which is something I REALLY wanna do sometime)

Next up is Pink Who is the first character we meet when Vic started this series

Pink is a married woman around Blue’s age who he engages in an affair with. And one of the women Blue has a significant relationship with throughout the series since Pink was the first one in the workplace to have her way with Blue. A truly manipulative bitch 💀 I don’t have much to say about her because Vic themself made a video discussing the women in Blue’s life and their thought process on writing them(?). So I’ll just give my thoughts! Pink is a very interesting case of the “Abused to Abuser” situation and not to mention how she’s not one dimensional. She’s an abuser to Blue but also a victim to a different man. (her husband) There are scenes where she is being a nice person (highlighted with her scenes with Lilac) but what’s preventing her from being good is her philosophy of how men cannot be victims. How could they be? To her the most heartless person she knows is a man, while it’s close minded, it’s understandable but not excusable why she perceives men this way. Which I find very interesting! There’s also a cool animation choice with her lipstick color! Her lips are white when she’s doing nice things or is not perceived as a bad person, then grey when it’s more neutral (I think) and finally black when she harms Blue. Hence why her kiss marks start from white to black.

What’s also interesting is that Blue pursues her first! Since he started out so confident and upbeat he wanted to try and shoot his shot with an attractive woman. But backs off when he learns that she’s married, but things didn’t go as planned. But I find it very interesting how that’s how things started. Next we have Purple who is the CEO or just the boss of the company Blue works in

Purple imo is definitely the most uncomfortable character to watch (what am I saying ALL the abusers make things uncomfortable to watch) but Purple just gives me a chill up my spine. Especially with her design, it has been confirmed by Vic that Purple is in her 40s and would prey on much younger people. First she attempted to prey on Red (who is confirmed to be 19), but was unsuccessful then went after Blue, and was successful.

Not to mention she’s very inconsiderate of her workers, example in the second part of “Baby Hotline”.

Up next we have Red! Who is my personal favorite in terms of how she is written and her design! (I do not condone her actions)

I love how Vic went for a more cutesy innocent look for Red!

But not without giving her sharp black nails to show how harmful she is

It really nails the message home on how anyone can be an abuser no matter how they look like. I also want to appreciate her little heart eye effect that Vic does with her that’s constantly looping like HOW DOES VIC DO IT- IT LOOKS SO DIFFICULT TO PULL OFF- I’m guessing it’s green screen With Red she is an obsessive stalker who has feelings for Blue and is constantly pursuing him even if he doesn’t return the feelings. It starts off as an innocent crush but turns into something more harmful. I don’t have much to say that’s not been said by Vic on their video. I just really want to appreciate how well designed she is and I rly like the heart motif she has. You can tell she’s a naive girl who can’t understand how harmful she is. I’ve met someone who was my equivalent to Red and while thankfully I had people who managed to protect me, doesn’t mean the harm did not get to me. While they were not as intense and Red, I was still being harassed verbally and I just didn’t feel safe. ALSO HOW DOES VIC DO HER HEART EYE EFFECT I NEED ANSWERS Now we have Lavender who is Blue’s SISTER

YEAH THATS RIGHT- SHE IS BLUE’S SISTER And I swear everytime I see her I just want to punch her in the goddamn face and wipe that stupid smile off her face- Lavender is an example of non-physical s/a and incest with how she had sexual thoughts about Blue and would show it through more subtle actions. Not to mention she’s also a bystander to Blue being abused by other women and doesn’t do ANYTHING about it. As an older sister myself with my own little brother- Lavender ENRAGES ME! I could never imagine doing what she did to my own brother. He drives me crazy but I’d protect him no matter what. What is fascinating about her design is definitely how her eyes are constantly closed, as if she’s turning a blind eye to the harm Blue is a victim of and/or how she’s hiding so many things. Especially with how she only opens her eyes when she’s preying on Blue.

SHE'S JUST AS TERRIFYING AS PURPLE Lastly we have Lilac! Who debuts in the same video as Lavender

WHO IS THE ONE PERSON THAT DOESN’T TREAT BLUE LIKE SHIT She’s a very fun character! She’s a single mom who works in the same company as Blue. She has a lot more significance in later installments so I won’t spoil but I just love her<3 She’s so sweet I just can’t- it’s such a breath of fresh air compared to the toxic waste Blue’s been getting from the other women. Her relationship with Blue is so interesting to watch and I am just rooting for them to at least stay friends.

(Also she looks so pretty here) AND THAT’S ALL THE CHARACTERS!!

Overall I really enjoy this series but I do have some gripes with it. The pace is definitely a bit much- so much can be happening in a span of a few mins. And there are stories that could rly benefit a longer time limit. This problem comes up most with “Baby Hotline” where I hardly understood what was happening. Like I got the gist but I didn’t get the specifics. It can be difficult to keep up with. So yeah the series could work with a longer timeframe- “Sweet Little Bumblebee'' is a great example! Not everything is too fast and everything makes more sense while “Baby Hotline” tried cramming a lot in one minute. Well the first part of ot, the second part of “Baby Hotline” was at a much better pace in my opinion but still a bit hard to keep up with at first.

Anyway in conclusion! Blue’s Story is a really interesting story that deserves the recognition it gets and is worth your time if you are into really deep stories with heavy subjects!

(Credit to Vitaton for all the art presented) This is Coco typing.. Thank you for reading!

[highladyelenna]

Feyre Antis

This is a post I came across. I won’t be including names because I want no hate to them, I just want to put my opinion.

1. Calling Feyre a selfish bitch just proves you don’t read the books throughly.

Feyre grew up being neglected by every single person in her life. Parents. Sisters. I’m assuming whatever help they had in the house considering she didn’t know how to read, write, or swim. Her mother thought she was so unimportant that she refused to acknowledge her. Her father was so caught up in making money and his job he never noticed she was being neglected in basic necessities of life. Her sisters never acknowledged her and when they were older they took advantage of her willingness to provide for her family. They emotionally abused her and treated her like a slave and then stole her money that she risked her life for.

And sure you can say it wasn’t their job to parent her. You are correct. It wasn’t their job to do anything. BUT, loving sisters would see that their sister is working her ASS off to keep them all alive and make and effort to help her. And if they didn’t want to help, then they shouldn’t expect Feyre to do everything and demand her to do things around the house on top of the hunting. They shouldn’t have stolen her money to buy a new cloak or new boots when they objectively didn’t need them as they weren’t doing any hunting or work. Just walking through town.

So if Feyre choosing herself. Choosing her happiness. Choosing to find a family that actually gives a shit about her makes her a selfish bitch then good for Feyre. She deserves to be selfish after everyhting she’s given up for the people around her. And I guess choosing herself for once makes her worse than Nesta ever was. Nesta who would break people down just because she knew how to. Nesta who’s blood sang as she hurt her sisters feelings. Nesta who threatened Feyre on multiple occasions, one being to rip her throat out. But yeah..Feyre doesn’t defend every action Nesta made, makes her apparently a bad person.

2. Calling Feyre and Rhys idiots because they couldn’t stop the cauldron.

You’re telling me that you read ACOWAR and you read how Nesta was the ONLY one who could feel when the caldron was being used, and you read the scene where she warned Cassian JUST in time to save him..and yet you still think to type these words out? To call Feyre and Rhsy idiots because..they What? Didn’t jump in front of the cauldrons power? They didn’t..stop the embodiment of magic mid fucking blast? Please. Use your reading comprehension skills and re read the book.

2. You saying that Rhys shouldn’t have threatened Nesta because she’s a woman and it’s okay Nesta threatens everyone else because she’s a woman and since Rhys is a man he should be the bigger person.

This is an absolutely wild take. So you’re really saying that Nesta is a woman so she can say whatever she wants and that it doesn’t matter that Nesta threatened to kill Feyre, her own flesh and blood as you stated about Nesta being Feyres blood. TO HER FACE. But, Rhys saying he’s going to kill Nesta, while she’s not even in the same room, is the end of the world?

And the cherry on top??

YOU DIDNT EVEN READ SILVER FLAMES.

Yet you are talking about it as if you know what actually happened but you don’t? Because you haven’t read it?

THIS is why misconception and false narratives get spread around this fandom and it’s absolutely ridiculous.

[yanderefan-kimi]

What makes a good yandere character for you? What are some of your favorite yanderes? And what are some that you like the least?

Aaa my first ask! Thank you so much!! Yes, as you can tell from my username, I do like yandere characters quite a bit! And I'm super excited to finally start ranting about them lollll Alright, this might get pretty long so I'll put my answers under the cut!

What makes a good yandere character for you?

This is a very subjective question, but first I'll explain what makes a character yandere.

"Yandere" comes from the Japanese verb 病んでいる which means to be sick. This can refer to any sort of illness, but with yandere characters, it's referring to ailments of the soul so to say. Basically a "yandere" character is anyone who becomes sick with love. Which is really vague, I know - but that's how it is.

A character can kill for love and still not be considered yandere. A different character can respect their target's (the person they are affectionate toward - their "darling") free-will and autonomy and still be considered yandere. It's vague and open to interpretation. What one person considers yandere, another might find them just being possessive.

Just getting a few common misconceptions out of the way first:

-Yandere characters can be abusive to their targets, but just because a character is abusive, that doesn't mean that they're yandere

-A character doesn't have to go around killing people to be considered yandere

Okay, with that out of the way, time to talk about my favorite kinds of yandere characters!

I like characters who are subtly manipulative, the characters that mess with their target's perceptions of reality to mold them into someone who can accept their isolation. I like to describe the buildup as "walking into a spider's web, and only after you think to turn around do you realize that it's too late." These characters can appear to be very doting (溺愛) to their targets and lull them into a false sense of security, and usually only show their true selves to people they see as their love rivals. These characters can also be commonly described as haraguro (腹黒) or scheming.

But I can go for any sort of yandere character! I'm not so good with gore tho so I try to avoid that, but any other type has their own appeals. There was this huge chart about the different types of yandere characters and their "symptoms" I found before, maybe I'll dig it up and explain it in detail in another post eventually. But for now I will move on to the next question!

What are some of your favorite yanderes?

I can explain a bit more about the kind of yandere characters I love by using some of my favs as examples! Please note that I read a lot of shoujo, especially because the yandere trope is gaining some good popularity in that demographic, so these are all male yanderes. Though, I do love me a good female yandere character too!

My absolute favorite yandere character is Haruma from 恋と心臓 (Love and Heart) Seriously, no one does it as well as him. I don't want to spoil anything since it's more fun to experience the craziness yourself and the series is available in English!

But to give a brief summary: Yoh (the main character), having lived a life where she didn't have anyone she could rely on, is incredibly independent. But then her childhood friend (who she doesn't remember), Haruma, moves in with her and suddenly she finds herself in the position of damsel in distress again and again, with Haruma being the only one to save her.

It's a great blend of psychological horror, romcom, and drama with a huge dose of unhealthy relationships and a happy ending! I recommend it to everyone who is comfy with the subject matter.

Kuroyuki from Nightshade deserves special mention for being the reason I started liking yandere characters in the first place.

I never really got the appeal before him, but when I played Nightshade, I liked him from the start. I tend to love comic relief characters (who are secretly quite sad/serious) so he caught my eye right away and then when the cray-cray hit, I was like,

Oh no, that's hot.

And it was over for me after that lol. Yandere love interests in otome games have a reputation for caging, and Kuroyuki has a subtle approach to this. He spins this (not entirely false) tale that everyone is trying to kill Enju (the main character) except for him, and that he's the only one who could protect her. I won't go into his backstory, but an unhealthy amount of delusions feed into his obsession as well.

The game is fun and intense, and I highly recommend it if you would like to cry. Check out my Why you should play Nightshade PowerPoint here:

If you're looking for other good otome games with fun yandere characters, I also recommend: Amnesia: Memories, Taisho x Alice, and Mystic Messenger.

After Kuroyuki, I started reading a lot of Japanese webnovels with yandere characters (I literally have a page in my browser with just the yandere tag on shousetsuka ni narou that I browse thru regularly) I could probably do a whole post just about yandere characters in webnovels, but for a quick recommendation, I suggest checking out Kotoko-sensei's (琴子) works or, for something a bit more bizarre, check out Inaida-sensei's (稲井田そう) works. (I once went thru a phase where I was obsessed with all of Inaida-sensei's works around 2~3 years ago.)

Anyways, on to the final question!

What are some yanderes that you like the least?

Well, I tend to dislike the yandere characters that are not well thought out. It's easy enough to put a knife in a character's hand or make them shove someone in a cage, but it's not interesting unless they have a compelling reason why. What leads them to decide they have no other choice but to kill a rival (or their target) or take away their target's freedom?

This is why I tend to dislike side characters who are yandere (especially in harem series) because they're usually not given a whole lot of depth or character building - like a main character would have.

I think a lot of the appeal from yandere characters comes from their depth, complexity, and how they can be hypocritical by nature. I love them but I hate them because they care about other people. I don't want to scare them but I need to protect them. I don't care if they hate me as long as they stay by my side.

If I were to name a yandere character I dislike, though, I would have to say Yuno Gasai (from Future Diary) who is a rather famous case. I don't think she's a bad character - in fact, she's a really great character and a good example of what happens if obsession is left to fester in a high-stakes, dangerous environment. But her character has been boiled down to crazy anime girl who kills a bunch of people for her crush by the internet, which has completely changed the way many people view the word and perceive the trope of "yandere." I just find it irritating and as the self-proclaimed saleswoman of yandere, it makes my job a lot harder.

Can yandere be considered problematic? Sure, absolutely. But does it have to involve murder, rape, gore, or other triggering content? Absolutely not.

(This goes for this whole post, but please note that I am talking about fictional characters, and this in no way reflects real life people)

All in all, I'm very passionate about yandere characters and yandere content. I just find them so compelling, and especially love exploring relationships involving a yandere character - because it usually involves having to come to some sort of compromise. I could probably rant on and on and on about it but this answer is already so long lol

Thank you so much for the ask again! And anyone can feel free to send asks if they would like me to clarify on any of this! I do love ranting about these sorts of things

[multiplicity-positivity]

hi, since you seem to be open to giving advice, i figured id try asking you. if this is an issue you cant help with, thats totally okay! thank you for reading.

so um, do you have any tips on how to get someone to take your system/plurality seriously?

i "came out" as plural to my counselor a while ago without using the specific terms, but it feels like she just isn't taking me seriously, or acknowledging that these parts are seperate pieces of me. its really frustrating, because its something she needs to understand about us... and she just isnt getting it.

again, if you cant help with this, thats fine! i just though id try. and ofc, if you need more info, i am happy to provide it.

hey, we’re really sorry to hear you’ve been dealing with someone in your life who you should be able to rely on not taking your system or plurality seriously.

we do have a post with tips and advice on “coming out” as a system to loved ones.

at this point, after you’ve already talked to your counselor about being plural, it may be a good idea to send some resources her way so she can start learning about plurality from some outside perspectives. for singlets who haven’t really heard much about plurality, it may take learning from a few resources in order for them to realize that this is a real phenomenon, and an integral part of who you are that affects every aspect of your life. we’re not sure whether or not you have a dissociative disorder, and we’ve included these links in the above post, but we’ll go ahead and add links to the articles that we (a did system) use whenever we attempt to explain our multiplicity to someone new.

^ for systems of all types

^ did/osdd specific, but still an excellent read for literally anyone

^ also did/osdd specific, but great for those who are struggling and need support from loved ones

we do hope that after sharing some resources and talking earnestly and openly about your plurality and how it impacts you, your counselor will be a bit more understanding and accommodating. however, please understand that this might not happen. sometimes singlets can be baffled, indifferent, or uncomfortable about plurality. facing something that they don’t understand may cause them to ignore it or lash out.

our system personally prefers to be ignored as a system rather than be shamed, fakeclaimed, or belittled due to our multiplicity. your system might need to have some internal conversations in order to make this call for yourselves. hopefully, your counselor will be open to learning and can start treating your system with the respect and recognition y’all deserve. but if that doesn’t happen, we hope y’all can find some validation internally and continue to learn more about each other and work together in positive ways.

sorry if this response isn’t much help, but we’re wishing y’all the best of luck with everything. and if there’s anything we can do to help y’all figure things out, don’t hesitate to reach out :)

[honeysucklebuttons]

Any Gonta hc's involving bugs? I'd love to hear them if you'll share! I'm curious what you got c:

Hello! Thank you for your patience, I've finally had some time to think about this wonderful question!! <3

_ In general, Gonta is especially protective of the bugs that have bad reputations. He loves and respects all of the amazing life forms out there, but there's something about them that he relates to, whether he realizes it or not. These misconceptions and fear of "gross" or "scary-looking" creatures that could be aggressive if provoked, with maybe a bite or sting or a disease inside them... well, he knows what that feels like to be seen on such a surface level. He's extremely wary of letting other people handle his own bugs in this category for this reason, until he's really truly sure that they'll be handled safely.

_ Some days it feels like he has an exoskeleton, because of the way the rain falls off of his shape, how kind words can bounce off and he feels like he has to show the side of him that won't waver. Some days he wishes he had one, because skin is easy to tear and bruise and blush, and oh, how it gives him away. But having bones on the inside is good, too.

_ I've mentioned before that Gonta sings a lullaby to his bugs every night, some tune he made up or learned while he was lost. (Maybe he managed to learn how to make certain bug sounds!!) This is true for both his bugs at work and at home! He might add words if there are people around that he doesn't mind singing in front of.......

_ Not really a hc, but please, if you will, imagine Gonta talking to baby bugs in a baby-talking voice, like most people do with pets. He doesn't use it with the adults, though - they deserve to be talked to like adults, after all!

_ Gonta building fun enclosures!! (I'm thinking about people with pet jumping spiders, specifically this one person who made their spider a miniature cat tree to explore for enrichment.) He knows what they need, and he can communicate with them to make their short life spans much more exciting! (Setting up tea parties with things they can eat; having an indoor garden area for the pollinators; etc)

_ There are many reasons that Gonta tears up or cries when his bugs are concerned. Celebrating an unexpectedly long life span, happy birthday!! A fight breaking out that he couldn't stop, between bugs that should have been just fine together... A new clutch of babies are hatching!! Oh, none of them made it... Having a staring contest with someone who follows his every movement!! A funeral for someone he's had a long time... Matchmaking a compatible match, they seem very happy!! An accident happened with the enclosure, or the food, or a person mishandled one of them... At the end of the day, sometimes just thinking about bugs is enough to do it!!!! And sometimes, "IT'S JUST SO TINY" is as valid a reason as any :D

_ Gonta is That Guy at bug conventions- people whisper excitedly about him as he passes by, ask for photos, and more than once, he's had someone come up to him and ask anything from, "Would you like to hold my [species name]?! I'd be so honored if you did!!" to "Would you like to be featured in our publication? Your work proceeds you!" He's getting used to it, slowly.

_ Gonta talks to himself. Gonta also talks to bugs and other creatures. It's hard to tell who he's talking to if he's the only person around, sometimes...

_ He loves bug art and tattoos and, while he might not have any tattoos himself, he ogles politely when people show him theirs! At least a few people have asked to get his scientific drawings done as tattoos and he's always initially like "why tho????" until he sees it and then it's "!!!!!!!!!!!" hehe

Okay I think I'll stop here for now.......... thank you for the wonderful Gonta daydreams, I hope these are what you were looking for! (Hopefully you didn't want specific ones like... how does Gonta feel about ladybugs or something lol) (he loves them, next question) <3 <3 <3

[hawkzeyes]

why is everyone against bernard being the question guy wouldn’t it bring more to berdnard anyways

Mmm there are a lot of reasons personally for me! I’m gonna go ahead and say I’m incredibly biased and DC’s recent choices have my eye twitching.

1. Renee deserves to continue as The Question. DC has done this thing again, where an effective and exciting woman hero gets shifted backwards and we just lose all character development for no reason at all. This isn’t the first time DC has done this and it certainly won’t be the last time unfortunately. I’d like to see it fixed tbh and I’d like to see her back in the mask!

2. The Question seems to get just the title of a “conspiracy theorist” which is what I see B*tfam Stans using as a reason as apparently Bernard has had this trait, but that’s a huge misconception (mostly because of JLU love it though) sure he works with conspiracies but mostly because they are linked to corruption, which is really what he actually handles most of the time. Along with Renee! He just happens to be really cryptic about it, giving him that mysterious ‘crack pot’ vibe. That’s the purpose of The Question though. To go where the person behind the mask can’t, to stop the corruption at its core.

3. The DC comic verse has done enough sacrificing other characters for the b*tfam honest to god. Ppl are getting really tired of it. There has been plenty of this talk outside of the b*tfamily circle but it’s generally missed by them because they tend to stay in their circle. Which is totally fine! That’s their space, but the rest of the families/fandoms are irked. The way multiple characters have been altered and changed just to fit along that family is A LOT in the N52/Rebirth situation. The rest of the characters in DC are not responsible for Bernard being more interesting. If writers want him to be interesting they ought to just develop him as a person? Renee doesn’t deserve to lose the mantle because y’all want Tim’s boyfriend to be a cool conspiracy guy

4. If y’all want to see this, write fanfiction about it? That’s what fanfiction is for. What I don’t want is it being pushed at DC because A LOT of writers right now are waaaay too involved in fandom spaces rn (which I find highly unprofessional. Like I’m not saying you can’t be a fan, obviously I would prefer that, but starting fights with fans, beefing over Twitter, and using your power in these comic companies to run over others opinions and or steal ideas from fans is weird) and they do take from it. T*m T*ylor.

5. I think it would actually crush me to see Renee lose the mantle because of fandom space after Vic (who is one of my favorite characters) trusted her with it. The person who has it now respects Vic and the meaning behind the mask, because that very much matters when it comes to The Question, instead of just “lol conspiracies 🤪🤪”

6. If I remember correctly isn’t Vic back confusingly? With the whole Manhattan Flashpoint mess (please don’t ask me to explain I literally never understand the flashpoint LMFAOOO) So if Renee really is done with the mask… and Vic Sage is literally right there (I think) and about a million times better than Bernard would ever be at being The Question since he is literally the original, why should he? Bernard has literally done nothing to prove he would be better than either of these characters or has really done anything to show he deserves the mantle.

[walkingwiththegods1]

Pagan Misconceptions Clarified: Why Ares, Is NOT "Only The Cruel God of War, Battle and Battlelust; that loves Bloody Battles, lacks of Humanity; and is incapable to feels Love?!"

  I still remember vividly, to the excellent portrayal of Ares; in "Xena: The Warrior Princess", and in "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"; by the late actor, Kevin Smith; (Sigh... I miss you, Kevin!) whose acting puts an interesting image of Ares, as a God with human flaws; instead of the images we generally got before from the myths, as "An Unstoppable Killer-Machine, hated for Humans and Gods alike; even for his own parents, Zeus and Hera..." BUT... Really, The God of War; deserves our collective resentment?!... There's really nothing salvable to say, about Ares?!...  

  ...Yes: There it is!

  Ares, is too: The God of Courage, Of Martial Arts; of Cowardice, God of Rebellion and Civil Order, The God of Violence and Rage, The God of Battle-Death and Weapons; The God of Anger, Of Homicide and Manslaughter, The God of Vengeance, The God of Fear and Terror; The God of The Sack and Defence of Cities, The God Averter of War, The God of Strenght and Endurance; The God of Manliness, The God of Warriors, and... The Ancestor of The Thebans and The Amazons.

   I know... There are, MANY UGLY THINGS HERE; but please... Give me a chance, and you will see how useful this will be; and maybe, you can even end in asking help to Ares; in moments of need, or peril.

   Ares, is the first and only male son of Hera and Zeus; that was educated by a minor deity; which after ending his training, and started to appeared in battles and wars; than makes him grow in experiences, and made him The Warrior God, known for all of us.

   And now, the other atributes of Ares; that are mostly forgotten, and... The Myths where we see, his soft and human side; too!

 The God of Courage: In Ancient Times, he was call for soldiers to have courage; before to fight in a battle or war, or during the sames. (There are even attestations in The Illiad, of Ares alternating sides with The Greeks and Trojans; to rewarded the courage of both sides!)

 The God of Martial Arts: Ares, was portraited in Ancient Times; using his Helm, bronze armour and his deadly Spear, even in parties with the other Gods. Likewise, he was bathed and dressed by her sister Hebe; The Goddess of Eternal Youth, before every battle or war; so... Is logical to think, that he favourates than people developed learning in Martial Arts, so any can get out victorious in conflicts.

 The God of Cowardice: He appeared in myths, sometimes crying in pain; and leaving the battle or war, after being slightly wounded; which was seemed under an unfavouring light, back then... But for me, it shows that even The God of War; can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the physical and mental demands of a warrior; during a battle, or war. (If you have to leave a fight, after everyone expected you to win it; and you was mocked for that, remember this: If Ares, have to stopped and leave a fight, when he is immortal; then... You shouldn't being ashamed of that, neither: Even the best of the warriors... Can't win in all the matches!)  Also, you can call to him; so you can stop to feel cowardice, and starts to be an courageous person!

 The God of Rebellion and Civil Order: He was in Antiquity, a God  of rebellions riots and Civil disturbances, but... He was called upon, for mantained civil order. For this last reason, he was the Patron of Ancient Armed Guards, and of warriors than resembles; Today's Polices Forces!

  The God of Violence and Rage: He was put as a Deity, than enters in the battlefied in full rage; and ready to spread violence, which cast a negative light on him; but... We live in a dangerous world today, and sometimes; we have to defend ourselves using violence. (Of course, after dialogue; diplomacy, non-violent methods, and avoiding violent people; fails, and your dignity or life; is endangered... As a last resource!) And... If you feel rage, just shout; hit an inanimate object, or talk about why you feel so bad: It will avoid you, that things escalate from bad to worse: Ares, used violence and was raged; only when he was going to fight in a battle, or war!

  The God of Battle-Death and Weapons: It was said that all that died in the battlefield, were killed by Ares. In Thrace and other places, his cult symbol; was an upright sword.

  The God of Anger: It was clearly mentioned in The Illiad, that the anger of Trojans for the death of two allies, was the work of Ares... Which made Ares, The God of Anger. (Even the one, that is justified!) And... Ares was mentioned, when somebody needed help; to control their anger's issues!

  The God of Homicide and Manslaughter: Ares, was known to eliminate many adversaries; in battle. (So, if you are being caught in a closed alley; with not way to escape; with ill-intentioned people, call to Ares in a low voice; and... Well: If someone, has to be gone... Better them, than you!)

   In an well known myth, Alcippe; that was a mortal daughter of Ares, was hurted by Poseidon's Son; Hallirrhotius... Ares, kills to the offender in anger; for what he did to his daughter. Poseidon, demands reparations; and it was made the first judgement in History, were Ares... Was acquitted for the vote of the other Gods, in the grounds that he did it for defend to his daughter. (So, if you are being wrongly accused of taking a life; you know to who you have to go, so the necessary elements can appears soon; so you can clean your name, and... Being free, again!)

  The God of Vengeance: From the story mentioned, about Alcippe's Disgrace; and some writers than said, that Ares helped to defenseless people; to gave even with the ones that abused them, and; that he is too, a defender of the weak; so... That makes him, The God of Vengeance!

  The God of Fear and Terror: Well, this one is a bit obvious; 'cause he was accompanied by Phobos, (Fear in Greek, from where it came the word; Phobia) and Deimos; (Terror, in Greek) who were both his sons with Aphrodite. So, if you need to install fear and terror in your enemies; so they can leave you alone, then... Ares, is your God!

  The God of The Sack and Defence of Cities: It was mentioned that Ares, "Can make the foundations of even the strongest of walls, shake"; and in The Illiad, he is called "Stormer of strong walls": Both of these, suggests that Ares could aided in the sacking of cities; that was a common ocurrence in Ancient, Medieval; and in Modern Wars. Curiously... He was called, "Saviour of Cities"; which means... He was called for those, that need their city being protected from sacking; in times of war!

  The God Averter of War: It was said that, if Ares was placated... He could keep War, (And his devastation) away of a nation!

  The God of Strenght and Endurance:  Homer mentioned, in many parts of the Illiad; that he can install strenght and endurance, to any person that pleads on him!

  The God of Manliness: According to Greek mythology, Ares have 30 women as lovers and consorts...  And, 60 childrens! Besides that, he is the eternal Lover of Aphrodite; which is the mother of eight of his most famous sons, including Eros and Harmonia. He was represented mostly, as a young beardless nude man; in the prime of his virility, so he was seem as The God of Manliness.

  The God of Warriors: He was called for warriors in Ancient Times, so... If you are a Soldier, a Boxer; or a Fighter, independient of your gender... (Ares, favourated women in Ancient times too; and probably... He doesn't seem to care with what gender your identify, as long you continue to try to achieve you goals; despite the difficulties you find in your road to success, or achievement) …He must be one of the Gods that are closer to you, and you have to go for help; day by day!

  The Ancestor of The Thebans and The Amazons: Thebans, were descendents of Ares, by double ancestry: By the men sown, from the teeth of the Dragon of the region; (That was a son of Ares) And... For the marriage of the slayer of that dragon, Cadmus; with the daughter of Ares: Harmonia.

   The Amazons, were the daughters of Ares with the nymph Harmonia; and all of then, shares the warlike spirit and courage; from Ares: He is their father, patron; protector and God!

   Ares, was honoured in 10 different places; including Sparta, where it was an statue of Ares in chains; which supposely means than war and victory, will always being there. Temples of Ares, where outside the cities; probably as a first line of defences against invaders, and, the Planet Mars; was called by The Greeks, "Ares's Star". (Curiously... Ares was represented, as a young man; with the horns of a ram in his upper forehead; which are the horns that represents to the Fiery sign of... Aries, which have Mars; as his ruling planet!)

    Curious fact: Ares, is a God that was feasted for women of Tegea; that winned in a war against The Spartans, 'cause the Tegean Men were losing in that same war; and they made a feast, where only women can worshiped Ares. And... One of Ares's titles, is Gynaecothoenas; which means, "Feasted by women" (So, if you are a woman; and worried that he will not accept you, don't be: Ares will accept you, and protects you... Don't matter if you are a warrior woman, or not!)

  People tends to think in Ares, as selfish and uninterested in gives Love to any being; mostly, a bad reputation that came mostly; from the greek writer, Homer... But, their are many tales; than talk of the contrary:

   Ares, gave his own War-Belt; to her daughter, Hippolyte. He transferred to Cadmus and Harmonia, (turned into serpents) to Elysium; so they could live in peace. King Nisus, recieved a purple lock of hair from his father Ares; that guarantee his throne and his city, been unconquerable. Aeetes, that was a King devotee to Ares; was rewarded with a Dragon to keeps guard on The Golden Fleece, telling to that king; that he will keep his throne, as long The Fleece remained in its place.  And... He supported to their Daugthers, The Amazons; in different wars; and appearing in person... To supported to his daughter, Queen Penthesilea; during The Trojan War. He freed to Thanatos, and gave Sisyphus to the God of Death; so he could be punish. (And... He was the one that demanded to Hephaestus, to freed to their mother; Hera, from the throne he made!)

    In other accounts, Ares appeared under a light; that makes him look, more human:

   In the Trojan War, when injured by Diomedes; he screamed like a 9,000 or 10,000 men! (Auch...)  Also, he is a God that dearly loved to his children; like when he cries and mourned for her daughter, Penthesilea; when she was killed by Achilles. He came one time to help to his kids, even when Zeus; forbid him. When Hallirrhotius, abused of his daughter; he doesn't even doubted a moment, to killed to the one that causes pain to his daughter! When he was a young God, he was imprisoned by twin giants; The Aloadae,when he tried to stop them to take Olympus; inside a bronze jar for a lunar year...(That's thirteen months, in case you were looking) ...And finally rescued for Hermes, thanks to the Twins Giants Stepmother's; Eriboea! He was the lover or friend, of deities of Law; Order, Justice and Retributive Justice; like Themis, Dike; and The Erinyes. Even Homer, said that Ares always helped; to the side he favoured. Besides Aphrodite, the only other Gods that care for him; is his sister, Eris; Hermes, and his uncle; Hades... Sometimes, Hera showed him affection; too, like when he goes to her; when he was wounded in The Trojan War.

   In other parts, (Like in an Homeric Hymn to Apollo) he was accredited as... An amazing dancer, that dances with several Goddesses and Nymphs; while Apollo played, and The Muses; singed. He even dances with Aphrodite, in the wedding of his daughter; Harmonia, despite he disliked to his future Son-in-law... Without his famous Armour and Helm!

  There is something, that is mostly ignored about Ares: The Goddess of Love, have an everlasting love for Ares; and people tends to gravitates with, "Is only, physical atraction!..." Sorry, but no: Ares and Aphrodite, where already in love; when she was forces to marry to Hephaestus, so he could free Hera; from his throne-trap, and... I don't think someone would have 7 kids, with somebody that is not worthy of your time; or love! (Aphrodite, sees beyond Ares's bad reputation; and found him worthy of her love.)

   In conclusion...  Ares, is maybe a more dign God; that people had given him credit, has positive qualities too; and... He really does, have a heart!

   This is all, about the wrongly vilified God; that is always ready to fight and love: Ares!  

Have all of you, a live full of Courage; and fight only when is need it, too... So Be It!

[thebestpitbulldogtraining]

From Misunderstood to Marvelous: Celebrating the Pitbull Dog Breed

Are you ready to have your heart melted? Allow us to introduce you to the incredible world of Pitbulls, a misunderstood and unfairly stigmatized dog breed. These dogs, often labeled as aggressive and dangerous, have been victims of prejudice for far too long. It's time to break free from the misconceptions and celebrate the marvelous nature of Pitbulls. Prepare to be amazed!

1. Did you know that Pitbulls have a long history as beloved family pets? Contrary to popular belief, these dogs were once considered "nanny dogs" due to their gentle and protective nature towards children. They are loyal and devoted companions that can bring unending joy to households. Let's give Pitbulls the credit they deserve for their ability to provide love, comfort, and friendship to families around the world.

2. It's no secret that Pitbulls possess immense strength, but did you know they also have the biggest hearts? Their unrivaled enthusiasm for life is infectious. Whether it's wagging their tail furiously, goofing around with their favorite toys, or showering you with affectionate kisses, Pitbulls have a unique way of brightening up even the gloomiest of days. Their lively and playful personalities make them perfect companions for those seeking an active and joyful lifestyle.

3. Despite their unfortunate reputation, Pitbulls have a remarkable capacity for forgiveness. These incredible dogs have, time and time again, shown us the true power of resilience and second chances. Many Pitbulls have overcome abusive pasts or faced neglect, yet they still manage to shower humans with unconditional love and trust. Their ability to bounce back and embrace life's wonders is truly awe-inspiring.

4. Pitbulls are exceptionally intelligent creatures. Their eagerness to please their owners and their desire for mental stimulation make them quick learners. With proper training and guidance, they can excel in various activities, such as obedience, agility, and even therapy work. These dogs are living proof that intelligence knows no boundaries and that, with the right support, every Pitbull can unleash their full potential.

5. Have you ever met a Pitbull with a smile that could light up a room? These dogs have the most infectious and heartwarming grins. Their endearing faces and expressive eyes can melt the hardest of hearts. Just spending a few minutes in the presence of a Pitbull will have you falling head over heels in love with their cheerful demeanor. Embrace their enchanting smiles and feel the warmth they bring to your soul.

6. Pitbulls are natural protectors and make excellent watchdogs. It's in their nature to defend their loved ones and their home, but contrary to popular belief, this doesn't make them inherently aggressive. Their loyalty and protective instincts can be channeled into positive behaviors through proper training and socialization. With the right guidance, Pitbulls can become the ultimate guardians and provide a sense of security for their families.

7. Pitbulls are ambassadors for change. They embody resilience, forgiveness, and love, despite all the misconceptions society has thrown their way. By celebrating the amazing qualities of Pitbulls, we can challenge the negative stereotypes and encourage others to change their perception of this wonderful breed. Join us on this journey of transformation as we pave the way for a brighter future for every Pitbull.

Stay tuned for our upcoming sections, where we will explore the role of Pitbull advocacy, their unique physical attributes, health considerations, training tips, and the importance of responsible ownership. Open your heart and mind to the wonders of Pitbulls, and together, let's create a world where they can be recognized for the marvelous beings they truly are.

[brujamala-aka-gigi]

a tarot reading just in case you need to remember this: it's okay to be a bitch.

we all know good vibes, kindness and empathy are amazing traits and etc BUT... there's shitty people who don't deserve that and some of us can't pretend like we are not full of anger. "negative" emotions are just as valid as "positive" ones, they contribute to our growth and our character, and they also keep us same from further harm.

pile 1 pile 2 pile 3

pick a pile and let's find out what type of "bitch" behavior can bring something good to your life.

MASTERPOST & PAID SERVICES

xoxo gigi <3

images from pinterest and dividers by @ithemes 

plz excuse the shit quality pictures of the cards, i'm working on that but i didn't realize how bad they were until i uploaded them :(

btw I'm doing a poll so you can pick a day when its convenient for you and me to do an ask game on here, answer some questions with my tarots and give away readings from my menu.

Pile Number One

Hello there! So, the cards on this reading are mostly “positive” if we take a superficial approach, and ignore the prompt of this reading. What I see here is that, although there’s a sense of brightness, joy and enthusiasm that is typically associated with your identity, there’s a lot of your inner world that it’s not getting any chances to be manifested into your daily life. I think many people assume you are happier than you actually feel, and many people think the joys and blessings of your life came to you out of nowhere, they think you’re naturally successful, when in reality you are quite the hard worker. Nobody likes to be realistic in the struggle to achieve anything, so it's understandable to some extent that people are not seeing the actual strength and patience that it took you to be where you are. 

Personally, I think that sometimes it’s really hard to fight back against misconceptions on how hard do we actually have to work in order to get something, it’s even harder when people don’t allow you to express anger, and belittle any feeling that it’s not as comfortable to be around as your usual “good vibes”. You are the type of person who everyone is too lazy to understand beyond their own romantic ideas of you. Don’t let others dehumanize you like that, you are a person, not a secondary character in someone’s love life, or the sweet innocent sidekick, or the girl next door, or whatever. Embrace everything that makes you complex and misunderstood, as these are the things that will bring you closer to people who are actually interested in your true self. 

But, there’s absolutely nothing wrong if you’re being strategic about who gets to see your most genuine version and who doesn’t. I see a lot of prosperity for you in the future, and you might not be able to appreciate this now, but your career choices will make you quite happy eventually. Take a lot of time to reflect on the people you want to keep around you, trust your intuition and prioritize your mental health, don’t be afraid to communicate your emotions in ways that others might find uncomfortable, in the worst case, by doing this you will find out who actually deserves your time and energy. And please, don’t fall for the first person who shows any kind of romantic interest, this is not a great moment for you to deal with a relationship, as there’s some emotional work to do first. Be persistent with how you take care of yourself, be patient and kind to you in the same way you are with others. 

Pile Number Two

What I’m seeing a lot on these cards is a lack of closure and proper communication about it. I’m not necessarily talking about a situation that hasn’t been settled yet, but more so about the fact that you are able to perceive things deeper than the average person and whenever you can, you do go ahead and take the actions necessary in order to get things going in the way you know best. You are someone who moves quickly and efficiently, but others who are more dogmatic in their ways are beginning to find issue with this, forcing you to conform to spaces where everyone knows you are too overqualified to be in. 

I don’t think you are someone who is submissive or someone who allows people to walk all over you, but I see that you’re trying to find less conflictive approaches to issues and situations that you are used to solving in more explosive ways. Behaving in a more “diplomatic” or “assertive” way is not exactly what works for you, but at this point it is necessary that you learn to tolerate being put in this position. I don’t see you losing your values or your ideals, not even your personal strength. But I am concerned that you might be doubting yourself with things that are so bonded to your nature that you haven’t even thought twice about so far, and rightly so! You’re lucky that your determination and passionate ways, even when proving an inconvenience to others who don’t get it, has been channeled in such proactive ways. 

At this point, all I can tell you is that whenever you are being forced to remain in stagnation due to self doubt, you shouldn't attribute this to your lack of will to stick to norms and traditions, but more so, this situations happen because people around you need to catch up with what you already saw and processed. This means that many times you will have to choose between waiting or moving on by yourself. Be strategic about this, and always make sure that there are comfortable places for when you need to reflect and relax. Yes, many things have gone right for you by moving impulsively and following your gut, but imagine how much more you could accomplish if you took some time to plan. 

There’s nothing wrong with your creativity thriving in chaotic environments, there’s nothing wrong with being confrontational and hot headed, absolutely nothing bad about being perceived as hot headed and impulsive… just be more mindful on how to channel these parts of yourself. 

Pile Number 3

Okay, this is a complex set of cards for a complex and sensitive person.  What I'm seeing here is this sort of nostalgia other people have for a version of you that was painful to live for yourself. I think plenty of people were feeling too comfortable with you when you were not on top of your game or working towards your own personal happiness. I feel like you are now beginning to find new ways of questioning and deconstructing ideas and actions that are no longer serving your deeper desires, and you are sharing this with people who are not willing to join you in this path, while also alienating you from your own power to manifest into existence the person you want to become. 

As you are beginning to move away from spaces of comfort that were designed for a weakened version of yourself, you will realize there’s plenty of facades and deceitful half truths. It’s a shame that all you have during this moment is your own emotional intelligence and a well justified sense of hope, nobody should face things like this on their own. But being realistic, solitude is a strength in your case, and you will soon find out that this journey was meant to give you consciousness about the powers and strength, many have tried to hide from you in order for them to keep the spotlight. 

Don’t let others force you into being someone who is only an ornament or a tool for keeping a facade. Even if you are naturally generous, kind, empathetic, and altruistic, it’s not a betrayal of those values to focus on growing outside places that don’t deserve all your sensitivity. This is a moment where you will find plenty of personal characteristics that many have ignored or belittled, cultivate those and nurture your ability to exist on your own terms. You have more control than you think, and far more tools than you imagine. It takes bravery and intellect to take the steps you are taking into finding new ways of being yourself, while also being celebrated and respected. 

Always remember that many times, others will make you believe something crucial to you is a defect, or a disadvantage, but it’s up to you if you’re taking into consideration the thoughts of someone who doesn’t know why you are who you are, and who you are trying to be. (You shouldn't).

[cryo-regalia]

TOUCH

headcanons of two of hyrule’s champions with a very affectionate partner ft. revali, link

— THEMES: gn!reader, spoilers, fluff, severe angst (during revali’s part only).

— NOTE FROM THE GANG: the last bullet point of revali’s is severely angsty and pretty dark. it wasn’t part of the original request, but please be aware of the tonal shift.

LINK

When it comes to affection, Link doesn’t know the first thing to it and so having a partner that is very affectionate is so new to him and eye-opening. Everything is new to him, but this isn’t anything he was prepared for when he woke up on the Great Plateau. Not for a second should you think that he’s uncomfortable or doesn’t like it because he does! A misconception like that may cross many people’s minds given his reaction, but it’s not something he wants you to believe. After one hundred years of being asleep with only fragments of memories of a life and self he doesn’t remember and the clothes on his back, he’s not used to something like this. He’s very much touch-starved and doesn’t remember what it’s like to be hugged, to be held and loved upon. People don’t love Link, they love the Hylian Champion, the Hylian who wields the sword that seals the darkness. Those who did have been taken away by the Calamity, and Impa is slowly being taken by the passage of time. But you do; you love him and you’re still with him through thick and thin. Link doesn’t step out of his comfort zone and it’s not something he think he had, let alone knew about, but he’ll hold his hand up if he needs space. It’s not very often that he does that, and sometimes he does it out of habit because he’s used to fighting and physically keeping people at a distance.

When you hug him for the first time, Link would be so obviously confused and bewildered that he doesn’t understand why. He doesn’t move at all and just stands there, staring down at you with big blue eyes. It takes him a second to realize that you’re hugging him, and that’s only something he’s seen other people do than experience himself. It seems familiar, but not very much. As if he had hugged someone he cared for and lost long ago...Anyways, questions fill his mind and he doesn’t know what to do, but he doesn’t push you away. Why does his chest feel so...light? Is he sick? Then he starts to feel warm, mostly the upper part of his cheeks. They’re warm, too, he realizes. Body heat, that’s obvious, but there’s something so comforting about you being so close. If you’re not pinning his arms to his sides then his arms are up in the air until his elbows are level with his shoulders. He doesn’t know where to put his hands at first and awkwardly sets them on your shoulders, watching your expression to see if he’s doing it right. His hold around you is awkward and unsure, but he’s clearly trying because it makes you happy and he’s curious, especially when he starts to like it. He feels so safe and warm and loved like this, but he has no idea what’s in store for him. You’ll definitely have to guide him the first few times until he returns them without thinking twice, gently setting his cheek on your shoulder and his eyes watching your surroundings.

Link doesn’t mind if you’re very affectionate. Honestly, it’s one of the many things he needs and very much deserves after sacrificing his everything for Hyrule. He woke up and didn’t even get five minutes to gather his thoughts before he was tasked with quest after quest. He needs someone who can show him how much he’s cared for and recognize that he’s not always doing well. Someone who can soothe the teenager beneath the remaining Champion who has the weight of the world on his shoulders and tell him that you’ll always be there for him. Someone who can give him the touch and comfort he needs to know he’s not alone anymore. Just knowing you’re there is so helpful and you may not even know it. When the two of you are laying in bed—whether that be in Hateno, or on the ground somewhere around Hyrule that was deemed shelter for the night—and you’re pressed against his chest or his back. Cuddles like that are very new to him and he relates it to a hug, but it took him a little while to learn that you can fall asleep like that. Or even when he’s riding along a pathway and you’re behind him, arms wrapped around his abdomen with a grip that tightens when his mount jumps over something. Sometimes Link will move his hand from the reins and pat your hand or give it a little squeeze to tell you that you’re okay or remind himself that you’re still there and not some kind of haunting hallucination, but it’s never a sign to let go unless he needs to get off.

Considering everything else that’s going on in the world, PDA is the last thing on Link’s mind and doesn’t mind it at all. He doesn’t even know what it means and think it’s a monster, not an acronym. When you explain when it means, it would make a bit of sense to him, but his opinion doesn’t change much and he’d move on because he’s very chill about it. He’s going to be considerate if someone is uncomfortable by it, but he’s otherwise happy to be so close to you. He does get a little flustered when people coo and reflect on their happy days with their partners. If you take his hand while you’re out in public, he may look down to it in surprise to see what’s touching him, but that’s really it. He’ll even return it! His hands are so scarred and rough, so it’s very nice to feel how different your hands are compared to his. You’ll probably be the one giving the affection, but Link has his moments where he tries to do so first. He may be a little shy, but he’s trying his best to do what you have done with him so far. If you give him time, he may eventually warm up enough that it becomes common for him and it’s a regular occurrence. Though it’s not as frequent, his acts of affection are all so sweet and adorable. He’ll slip his hand into yours until his fingers tap against your palms and waits until he has your permission to lock your fingers together.

When he first received his first kiss from you, Link was flabbergasted. He knew what it was, but he never experienced it from what he remembered. It was so new and felt so weird, but in a good way that it left him breathless. Instead, he stares at you with wide eyes and a tiny rosy tint to his cheeks. The warmth that usually follows suit with hugs returns with a powerful intensity that he can only compare to being hit with a fire arrow. The scar on his side can attest to that. He then has the audacity to press his lips together and then murmur how it tasted. The first few times around, his kisses are very awkward and clunky, and you’d have to initiate them because he doesn’t know how to. He feels bad that he doesn’t know as much as you do and hopes you know that he’s trying. Once he gets the hang of things, Link will hold your face in his hands and peck your lips, or even take your hand in his and kiss at your knuckles before setting it on his cheek. That’s one of his favorites, and not just because he can sneak a kiss to your palm with a simple turn of his head. Kisses on the neck cause him to jump because he’s not used to them, and he finds them a bit ticklish but doesn’t mind them if it means he can get a giggle out of you. He’ll get used to them eventually, but not anytime soon.

𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐈

Before the Calamity hit, Revali was also touch-starved but in a much lesser sense than Link. This comes from a mix of him not receiving affection as a whole from anyone in an unfortunately long time and him being too prideful to admit that with others around to hear. Would he love a hug and recognition for his efforts? Absolutely, without a doubt, but he has an image to uphold and maintain, and if anyone—especially those in Rito Village and the other Champions—heard that confession, he’d never live it down. It would completely destroy the reputation he’s spent so long creating! Instead, he keeps his beak shut and his wings to himself. What kind of warrior would people think of him if he was so cuddly? No one would take him seriously, and he worked too hard to let that happen. He was Revali, Rito Village’s greatest warrior who would go down as the savior of Hyrule! He worked his tail off for so long to be known and recognized as resolute and firm in his training with his bow and his prized ability dubbed Revali’s Gale. The compliments and praise are always welcome (he frankly can’t get enough of it), but they don’t wash the envy away and he sometimes catches himself glancing at families whenever they hug or couples sharing a kiss. He acts like it’s a bother to him that he had to see that and turns his head away with a huff while he walks off, but wraps his arms around himself in the form of a self-hug.

It’s not like Revali can’t get a partner, either. He can and that’s not the problem. His personality can be a bit too much for many people and so it’s difficult for him to start a serious relationship with someone. So when he does get a partner and you’re everything he’s dreamed of, Revali is taken aback by your affection. He’s aware of what it is, but isn’t used to it in the slightest at first. He’s not a very open Rito when it comes to that sort of thing and so if you unexpectedly give him a hug while the two of you are out, he’ll jump and squawk. He’ll definitely be a bit disgruntled and have a few ruffled feathers, but he can’t bring himself to be upset or push you away. If it was someone else, for sure, but he can’t do that to his favorite person and instead huffs as he crosses his wings, ignoring anyone that may be chuckling his way. He would do anything than admit that he’s enjoying having you so close and your affection. The only time he’d say no is if he’s doing Champion-related business or has a lot of eyes on him, but it’s otherwise free game. He would no doubt use his wing as a sort of shield to block anyone from watching if you want to give him a kiss, or wrap it around your shoulders like a blanket if you want to hug him or lean against him. He’ll still be alert and watchful of his surroundings and those around the two of you, but every now and again he’ll look down to you with the smallest of smiles reserved for you and you alone.

In private, Revali is a lot more willing to receive affection than he would be while he’s out and about. The eyes that pierce into him and remind him why he trains so hard, why he refuses to back down and bow his head and submission, are gone. Never for long; he has to go outside eventually, but the time he has without it is strangely nice. Now that it’s just the two of you, he’s less reserved and more welcoming to your affection, even if it doesn’t seem like it. This definitely applies to when you’re in the dark of night where very few can see you. Because Rito Village doesn’t have any walls, this time of night is your opportunity to sneak kisses and touches that you may not have been able to during the day. He’ll wrap his wings around you and keep you close, but won’t admit that he enjoys the feeling of your arms around him and your fingers brushing through his feathers. A lot of Rito don’t realize you’re there because of their poor night vision, and even in the morning because he’s holding you so close that his wings are concealing you. While you’ll most likely be the one to be initiating the affection, he does have his moments where he’ll drop a kiss on your head with his beak, or rest his head on yours or your shoulder, or bring his wing against your hand so you’ll get the message to hold onto it without him outright saying it. He has his moments where he’s still a bit jumpy and he refuses to admit it, but he grows adjusted to it.

Revali’s a Rito, he will preen and that’s something you’ve signed up for when you started a relationship with him. It comes with dating him, really any Rito out there; it’s just in his instincts. Honestly, as instinctual as it is, the way he goes about it is also very affectionate to the point that it doesn’t feel like he’s putting his all into it unless you two are alone. In public, he’ll be rather quick about it, but he’s very careful all the same and makes sure you look your best. To someone who’s not a fellow bird, it definitely looks he’s critiquing your appearance and fixing it, but those within the village know it when they see it. Regardless of the texture, he’ll preen your hair and he’s always so careful, especially if it is in a specific style. If you want him to stop then he will, but he does eye it because he’s acting against himself and will instead motion to your hair if it gets a bit disheveled from the wind or you just woke up. Revali would definitely adjust your clothing so there aren’t any wrinkles or bunched up parts that you may have unintentionally missed. If you start preening him, he’s not going to deny that he likes it but he’ll definitely pause for a moment. Lacking affection is one thing, but this? Definitely makes him lose his composure for a moment and he’ll ask what you’re doing before going back to what he was doing to the best of his ability. He’ll literally start melting if you run your fingers through his feathers and lightly scratch them, and you’re the only one who has the honor of doing his braids. He’ll sit down in front of you and fiddle with his bow as you work. “It’s...good,” he says, but you know he means: “I love it.”

In the confines of Vah Medoh, Revali’s mind doesn’t usually waver from a few rather dark thoughts. His demise, where he went wrong, what went wrong as a whole, what he felt in his last moments, stuff like that. It’s hard not to when he was forced to remain in the space where he fell, listening to the wicked and malevolent gurgles of Windblight Ganon that taunted him. Whether he’s hallucinating or is truly hearing that vile create, he doesn’t know and doesn’t think he ever will until it falls itself. It’s hard to remain optimistic when he’s watched sun and moonlight come and go and his Divine Beast circle around his home for days he’s lost count of, the haunting pink replacing the brilliant blue glow. But he has his moments where the horrible thoughts dwindle and he reminds himself of you and your touch that would no doubt cause the chill around him to fade. The way you’d hold him and remind him that he was loved and appreciated, and that his efforts were being recognized. The nights where he could hold you in his hammock, or you’d cheer him on when he hit his targets when he practiced, or even stepped closer to him when the cold became too much. Goddess, he missed that. He missed you. Do you think he’s a failure for letting the land of Hyrule down? For letting you down, even after all that he’s promised. Link will come, he always does (for the better or worse) and his fate lies in the Hylian’s hands, but he wonders what’s become of you. He knows he shouldn’t because then it really lets his mind spiral with thoughts he’ll never get answers to, but he hopes that you still live after all of these long years. And he hopes that if you are still around, then you’ll be able to see him stand tall on his Divine Beast that now aims at Hyrule Castle.

© cryo-regalia, all rights reserved. do not edit, translate, or repost my work.

[ddarker-dreams]

I've been wondering, how easily did the yan genshin characters fall for the reader? Was is as soon as they noticed our presence or did it take a bit longer for them to fall. As someone who avoids standing out too much that got me thinking for a while

OOO an interesting concept ... !!! i'll rank this in order from taking the shortest amount of time to fall in "love" to → who takes the longest.

kazuha - while it isn’t love at first sight, kazuha will recognize his fledgling interest with you very quickly. he’s in tune with his own emotions and would want to chase after the experience that has his pulse racing in a way it never has before. underneath that calm exterior, there’s some giddiness over how fresh and exciting this all is. yes, there are some kinks to iron out, but he’s never been the type to stress over small details.

hu tao - hu tao adores it when you’re around! you’re so much fun, she hangs on your every word, and thinks that your synergy is perfect. why would she deny herself the enjoyment she gets from being in your presence? she would give you the label of being a crush for some time, but the way she treats you shows that there’s more to her feelings than that. she wants to be the only one who you spend time with, the only one who makes you smile brightly and laugh. she’s not entirely sure what all these urges mean, but she’ll just wing it. improv has always been her strong suit. 

childe - childe doesn’t have any misgivings about the type of person he is. he’s self-described as being “kind of a bad guy”, and thus, is used to getting flack for doing what he wants. and what does he want? to have you all to himself — nothing less than that will suffice. childe notices his interest in you almost immediately and does nothing to stop it. if anything, he adds more oil to the embers, chasing the high that pursuing you offers him. he’s already coming up with names for your future children by the time you “officially” first meet him (he’s known all about you for a while now, but that’s a secret he’ll keep to himself). 

diluc - diluc recognizes what’s going on but finds a way to bury his love under the guise of being your provider/protector. there’s some guilt over the lengths he takes to ensure your dependency on him, as deep down, he knows what he’s doing is self-serving and in his interest rather than yours. that’s why he constructs the narrative of you needing him. that’s more palatable than reality, so it’s what he rolls with. 

zhongli - zhongli is self-aware enough to know that once he fully commits to you, there will be no going back. your life will change (likely for the worst) and it’ll be from his own doing. he’d prefer to ease you into the new way of things rather than making it abrupt, which is why the process takes longer rather than being immediate. he has the power to snatch you up whenever he so pleases, but would prefer a more gentle approach if possible. 

eula - eula’s problems when it comes to her love for you are more multifaceted than the others here. if you’re from mondstadt, there’s the heart wrenching possibility you might have misconceptions about her due to her lineage. or that if you’re willing to be friendly with her, your reputation will be dragged through the mud, which would burden eula with guilt. you’re too sweet to deserve that. that’s why it’s much safer for her to just... observe from a safe distance, maybe writing you anonymous love letters in fancy cursive when her feelings get too strong to push down. 

albedo - albedo is someone who puts value in having control over himself. when it comes to whimsical feelings such as love, a whole new list of variables are thrown into the mix, hormones are flying all over the place and he wishes they’d just stop already. he’s tired. he has stuff he needs to focus on, research that needs to be done, but you’re constantly on his mind like an invasive species destroying a local ecosystem. he’s able to come to terms with it eventually after shutting himself up in his dragonspine laboratory didn’t curb the issue. 

kaeya - kaeya has no problem messing around with people, dabbling in intimacy every now and then, mostly for the purpose of gaining information. harboring genuine attachment is... new, and unwelcome, a facet of himself that he tries to put on the backburner. when that doesn’t work, he kinda shrugs and decides that it is what it is. at least he tried. he doesn’t enjoy the vulnerability his care for you brings, but you’re just so much fun that it gets canceled out by his enjoyment of you. 

xiao - he’s the type where everyone who knows him (which is a narrow group, but nonetheless), picks up on his fascination with you eons before he does. the staff from wangshu inn turn something of a blind eye to his unhealthy stalking habits since their job is to support him. xiao doesn’t like the word love, finding it to be too human and melodramatic. an illuminated beast like himself doesn’t do love, whatever that concept is. you’re just... fine to be around, he guesses. he can stand your presence. okay, maybe he’d go so far as to say he likes having you around, but that’s it, he swears. 

scaramouche - he goes through the five stages of grief upon finding out he's gained feelings for another person in this world. archons, just thinking the word feelings grosses him out. ew. it's so annoying how you never leave his mind. it gets on his nerves and if he had the choice, he'd remove this weakness from himself, but he just can't. at some point, he realizes he might as well get what he wants (you) and stop denying himself. it's not like you'll be able to do much about it, anyway. so what could go wrong?

[writingwithcolor]

Desexualized Mammy & Strong Black Woman, too busy for “frivolous love”

“Alyse” (Anon Submission) asked:

My science fiction story includes a black woman (Talia) who raises two children that aren’t her own and takes on two young adults as apprentices. One of the children she is raises has Arabic background and was taken into her home upon his father’s death (his mother’s whereabouts are unknown). She was a close friend of his father and the closest thing he had to a relative. The second child has mixed French-Latinx background and was taken in after becoming shipwrecked with no means by which to contact her people. Talia was the first non-hostile individual she encountered and one of the few who would so openly embrace a stranger. Since Talia is Master Medic (the highest medical authority in her community) she is training two apprentices (think residency) and eventually mentors the second child as well. She was once married and passionately in love but lost her husband to illness. In this setting, some technology we take for granted is inaccessible and violence against their people is commonplace. Most have experienced sudden loss. This particular loss was the catalyst that drove Talia into medicine- a desire to protect her loved ones and prevent others from experiencing similar tragedy. She is usually kind (though businesslike) but sometimes succumbs to a frigid, furious depression when, despite all her knowledge and determination, she can’t save someone. 

I worry that her maternal association with the two children (one of whom is an outsider) mires her in the mammy trope. On top of that, she hasn’t pursued romance since the death of her husband. I’ve considered giving her a romantic subplot but there are already so many characters to keep track of. Furthermore, I just can’t see her engaging in the frivolous pursuits of new love when she’s dealing with kids, students, and an extremely taxing career. 

In terms of race and culture in this story, practically every character can trace their ancestry back to populations displaced through war. Even Talia’s second child was shipwrecked during a botched evacuation from a military science lab. The people who live here have been isolated for generations and no longer have a real concept of their ancestry. Cultures have blended, new religions have formed, and many of our familiar racial/ethnic issues are forgotten. However, new and different but equally toxic ones have replaced them. In this way, Talia’s blackness doesn’t carry the same associations in her world as it would in ours. However, readers may still make these associations. Do you see any issues with her character that I could amend? 

So! You have:

A highly educated Black-coded woman (the highest medical authority in the community)

She raises two kids alone 

She also looks after two apprentices

She is widowed (not sure the race of the husband, was he Black?)

Having experienced heartbreaking love, Talia's drive to look after, protect and save people through medicine is a great motivation for the way she is. Her experiencing depression and taking losses seriously is also very human and is dynamic characterization. 

However, such characterization with Black women is prone to brush across several tropes. You have a Black woman who gives and protects, but what does she get in return? Who cares for her? 

Prioritize your Black character’s happiness

"I’ve considered giving her a romantic subplot but there are already so many characters to keep track of. Furthermore, I just can’t see her engaging in the frivolous pursuits of new love when she’s dealing with kids, students, and an extremely taxing career." 

Priorities, priorities. Is love a frivolous pursuit in her eyes, or yours? Because I strongly disagree. You probably don't mean to but you, as the author, having an excuse to NOT give the Black woman romance is showing that you do not think she's worth being loved. TV viewers and stans who are uncomfortable when Black women characters have relationships find similar excuses to explain away not wanting BW in relationships.

"She's too strong and independent for a man/relationship" 

"I liked her better alone." 

"It'll take away from her character."

“A romance doesn’t feel right for her”

These sorts of statements above are grounded in racialized misogyny. 

Relationships do not lessen the woman.

Relationships does not lessen Black women. 

Love

Whether that love is romantic, familial, or friendship, it can come in many forms. Give Talia love. Because Black women characters deserve it! Either one or all! 

Let her have a loyal best friend, a cat, and a girlfriend. Because why not? And not to downplay the love of children to parents, but please provide her love beyond what she gets on a maternal level from the children she looks after. 

The stories that Black women are in today severely lack love for us, so why add to the narrative of Black women being all work and no play, and too [insert excuse here] to be loved? 

Of course, you didn't provide all the details from your story, but I'm not seeing much of a balance from the struggle. She is a caretaker, teacher, doctor (or doctor-like figure). 

Her position and background in itself is okay. It's the Strong Black Woman being presented with seemingly no commentary that strikes me. 

Where is her team to help balance the weight of the world? 

Who takes care of her when she's depressed from another loss? 

What does she get in return from taking an emotional and physical toll to heal her community? 

Do those around her recognize all she does for them and offer their friendship? 

When does she get to relax and turn off the need to be everything for everybody?

Fitting love into a book with many characters

There are many books with several characters to keep track of. People tend to manage. Also, I'm sure some of those characters are in and/or out of relationships. Even stories that couldn’t be classified as romances have relationships of some sort. It’s unrealistic to have a ton of characters and none of them be in relationship(s) of some sort. Not when there’s so many forms of it and many sexualities. 

Friends, frenemies, enemies, romance, affairs.. Relationships make stories (and life) interesting. By no means do I think adding these dynamics harm your tale. And what’s one more for a hard-working Black woman who sacrifices a lot and clearly deserves a shoulder to lean on? And, if you use an existing character to be that friend, family, or lover, then you won’t need to pencil in another character.

For romance specifically - I think a misconception when it comes to including romance in stories is that they have to somehow take over the story. Romance does not have to bombard the plot nor be described in lavish detail. Not every story is a romance and those sort of details aren’t everyone’s style or things they’re comfortable with. A sentence or two establishing relationships does not take away from the story.And how those relationships look and affections expressed will vary based on the characters, sexuality, etc.

Not every character needs to have a deep level of detail. 

“Katie and Lisa, a newly engaged couple, walked into the meeting.”

“Jack and Jamie are a married couple in their 40s.” 

“The two met in college. After two months of blissful courtship, they eloped, eager to start their happily ever afters. Twenty years together, they were still blissfully in love and never too far from one another.”

Sentences like the above are enough for some characters. You don’t always need to put in paragraphs worth of relationship-establishing details or plot. 

When it comes to the characters whose love you would like to highlight, at least a bit, you still don’t have to go over the top.

Use subtle details. 

“As soon as Talia’s back was turned, he gave her a longing look before shaking his head and getting back to the patient.”

“He squeezed her hand before taking hold of the stethoscope.”

“She kissed her wife goodbye before racing out the door.”

“You mean the world to me.” he had said, holding her face. Those words stayed with her all day, making her heavy load light as a sack of feathers.

“She soaked his shirt with her tears and he just held her tight, saying nothing, silently holding her together.”

As for Talia specifically…

Talia having the mindset you described, as love being frivolous and not a priority, is understandable knowing her background (I just don't agree with you as the creator using this as a means to keep her alone. Whether she’s romantically alone or without close friendships). She has lost so much, and continues to experience loss with patients. This can be extremely traumatizing. I gave some examples of being subtle, so perhaps that will help with the burden of feeling a thick subplot of romance doesn’t fit in your story. 

And as Talia doesn’t strike me as someone who would go looking for companionship, what if she stumbles upon it without trying? Is there someone on the medical team that can offer her friendship? Someone who admires her and feels the urge to care for her that she feels the same for, or has pushed feelings down for? What happens when she can’t hold those feelings down anymore?

Takeaway

Talia deserves healthy love, even if she doesn’t believe it or feel she has time for it. That love can come in any and many forms, not necessarily romantically required, although it is a plus. A struggle-ridden novel is balanced by love, support and rest for characters that hold the weight of the world. If you do not, evaluate why you want to write Black characters in these struggle roles without at least a social commentary. 

~Mod Colette

[ceterisparibus116]

What are your thoughts on the new remake of daredevil that will air on disney+? Personally I'm a bit nervous about whether they will somehow try to make it a bit more kid-friendly or something along the lines of that. There are of course also the worry that they will completely ignore the Netflix series.

But nonetheless I'm very excited to see how they choose to tackle Daredevil!

In short: mixed, but choosing to just be really excited!

This will be the most negative I get on this blog until we actually have content to analyze, although my thoughts are still mostly positive:

Concerns:

Based on the news about Fisk being back, I'm thinking they might go the same route as "The Force Awakens" and stick pretty closely to the original story. Possibly to the point of being uncreative.

Not enough whump. Not enough lingering on the whump. Not enough slowing down the plot to make Matt actually deal with the whump.

The fight scenes. Gosh, the fight scenes in TFATWS and Hawkeye were so meh compared to Daredevil. Please, please, please bring back Chris Brewster and the others!

I'm also worried Disney will either erase or drastically misunderstand Matt's Catholicism. To be fair, so does most of the fandom, in my opinion. ;) I take issue with Matt being known for having "religious trauma." Matt has a lot of trauma, and his religion certainly colors how he understands and processes and communicates about his trauma...but religion didn't cause his trauma, except to the extent that it created his "devil inside" misconception. But Matt's trauma comes from abandonment, abuse, and neglect, plus just the struggle of dealing with his enhanced senses, and the second-hand trauma he gets as a result of his senses (not to mention his job(s)). Matt's trauma isn't from being Catholic. (Nor, I think, is his guilt. His guilt is also colored by his faith, but come on: Matt would feel personally responsible for all the world’s problems even if he were irreligious - that’s a personality thing, not a religion thing.)

I'm worried Disney will try to tackle complicated issues like the criminal justice system, and basically give us nothing more than the "Do better!" speech from TFATWS.

I'm worried that in general, Disney will make Matt, Fisk, and other characters too one- or two-dimensional.

CGI. In general.

But that being said, here are things I'm excited for:

More content! Even if I don't like most of it, I'll probably like at least some of it.

More money and recognition for Charlie! HE DESERVES IT SO MUCH.

Eighteen episodes! EIGHTEEN! This makes me hopeful that they'll actually take the time to explore themes and characters well.

Also, I'm not excited about this per se, but I'm okay with a slight tonal change. If Matt is quippier, that's okay with me, as long as his humor is still dry. We saw glimpses of his sense of humor in the show, and I love it. If he starts out the new series in a healthier place emotionally and spiritually, I think it would be perfectly acceptable for him to make more jokes.

Also, although it would be funny for him to crash more light-hearted shows (like She-Hulk) and just kinda still be his normal broody self, I can also forgive him being written a little different to accommodate the tone of another show. In a weird way, I see that as respectful. For example, She-Hulk is Jennifer's show. I'd rather they write Matt to match her show's tone (as long as it's not completely ooc) than write him in a way that sticks out or makes her show feel incongruous. It's about her, not him.

[butterflies-dragons]

It’s a common misconception that if someone, like Sansa, is kind or polite even when you don’t feel like it or the other person doesn’t deserve it, is not lack of sincerity. It’s self control. Some like for instance Lancel/Hound, may not deserve kindness/respect and Sansa may not feel like giving it, but it’s the right thing to do, it’s the constructive thing to do so Sansa does it. Good manners/courtesy is treating others respectfully despite your personal feelings in the moment. Rising above

That's right Anon. Sansa has a lot of self control and she's very dutiful, but she's also very compassionate, that's why she helped a wounded Lancel despite considering him part of her enemies; that's why she commiserated the hound after he told her the story of his burned face despite he was rude violent and scared her just minutes ago; that's why she saved Dontos's life despite him being a complete stranger, that's why she cried for Joffrey's horrific death despite all the abuse he inflicted on her, et cetera.

But courtesy it's also a weapon. GRRM has used military/martial language around Sansa: Courtesy is a lady's armor.

You can read more about it in this essay: Dances with Wolves: Analyzing the Martial Language of Sansa’s Story.

This is also present in IVANHOE, the origin of George's love for tourneys:

Secondly, any knight proposing to combat might, if he pleased, select a special antagonist from among the challengers, by touching his shield. If he did so with the reverse of his lance, the trial of skill was made with what were called the arms of courtesy, that is, with lances at whose extremity a piece of round flat board was fixed, so that no danger was encountered, save from the shock of the horses and riders. But if the shield was touched with the sharp end of the lance, the combat was understood to be at outrance, that is, the knights were to fight with sharp weapons, as in actual battle. —Ivanhoe - a Romance - Sir Walter Scott

Especially this part: “the arms of courtesy, that is, with lances at whose extremity a piece of round flat board was fixed, so that no danger was encountered, save from the shock of the horses and riders.”

It's the same with Sansa's courtesy, because like the “arms of courtesy” in a tournament, courtesy is for Sansa an instrument that, although it cannot physically hurt anyone, can still provide protection against her enemies.

You can read more about IVANHOE & Sansa here.

Thanks for your message :)